FULFILL, FULFILLMENT. To deal fully with all that is involved in the idea of fulfillment would require a study of several broad theological themes, because it is a key concept of Christian thought. It will be possible here only (1) to indicate the various Heb. and Gr. words which represent the idea and to bring out their significance; (2) to show the relationship between promise and fulfillment and to bring into focus the relevance of the OT; (3) to analyze the various types of fulfillment illustrated in the Bible; and (4) to note the special NT ideas of fulfillment.

1. Discussion of the terms used. The main Heb. words used are מָלֵא֒, H4848, and כָּלָה֒, H3983; the first focuses on fullness, the second on completeness. In the LXX πληρόω, G4444, frequently trs. the Heb. מָלֵא֒, H4848, and carries with it the same idea of fullness. Its primary sense is filling up, but its main Biblical importance rests in its secondary sense of bringing to fulfillment. In the NT two compounds, anaplēróō and ekplēróō are used in addition to the frequent use of the root verb with much the same meaning. The first of these compounds is found in the papyri in the sense of completing contracts and is used in 1 Thessalonians 2:16 of the Jews for filling up the measure of their sins, but in Matthew 13:14 the same term is used for the fulfillment of prophecy. The second word is used in the NT only in Acts 13:33 of God fulfilling His promises.

The Gr. forms τελειόω, τελέω and συντελέω, G5334, are also associated with the idea of fulfillment, but with the special emphasis on the idea of completeness. Thus teleióō is used of the fulfillment of Scripture in John 19:28 (cf. Luke 2:43, where it is used in a temporal sense of the finishing of the period of days). Teléō is used of the fulfillment of prophecy in Acts 13:29 in the sense of “completing,” while sunteléō occurs in Mark 13:4, where it describes the accomplishment of what Jesus had predicted.

2. The relation of promise to fulfillment. Fulfillment presupposes previous prediction, and it is essential to understand the nature of the prediction to appreciate the significance of the fulfillment. The OT concentrates the promises in the covenant relationship and in the Messianic hopes. The OT was in fact forward-pointing and takes on its true meaning only in the light of the consummation found in the NT. The OT is to the NT as promise is to fulfillment. The Apostle Paul makes much of the promises made to Abraham in his Roman epistle (ch. 4). These promises he clearly sees to have been fulfilled in Christ. It was the glory of Abraham’s faith that it staggered not at the difficulties inherent in the fulfillment, because he was convinced of the inviolability of the promise. This is typical of the OT revelation. It was never represented as being complete in itself. There was always something more glorious to follow.

The early Christian appeal to OT citations is a striking reminder of the importance of the idea of fulfillment for primitive Christian theology. The Acts speeches are full of such citations and so are the gospels. Moreover, in the epistles there are frequent appeals to the OT fulfillments, and various formulae of citation are employed to bring out the nature of fulfillment.

The essential link between the Testaments is never more clearly seen than under this concept. It is fundamental to the Scriptural presentation of God that He must keep His promises. The Scripture cannot be broken (cf. John 10:35), and for this reason fulfillment is certain. It was no more than might be expected. However, fulfillment did confirm the faith of those who either at the time or else later recognized that some former prediction of God had come to pass. It was this sense of thrilling fulfillment that gave to primitive Christianity a remarkable air of joyfulness. The age to come had arrived. Promise had merged into fulfillment. More will be said later about this under the fourth sub-section.

3. Various types of fulfillment. The idea of fulfillment will clearly vary according to the nature of the prediction. For the sake of clarity some classification of these types is necessary. (a) The first class consists of cases of immediate fulfillment. An example from the OT is seen in the prediction of the prophet Ahijah that Jeroboam’s wife would suffer the loss of her child as soon as she arrived home (1 Kings 14:12). A NT example is the withering of the fig tree at the command of Jesus (Mark 11:12-14, cf. Matt 21:18, 19), or the prediction of Peter’s denial a few hours before it happened (Matt 26:34, 75). (b) The second class consists of cases of delayed fulfillment. Under this classification there are two main groups: those instances where fulfillment has already taken place and those instances where as yet the promises remain unfulfilled. The former group gives assurance that the latter will yet be fulfilled. Under the former group must be classed all those Messianic predictions which found their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, for instance, the seed that would bruise the serpent’s head (Gen 3) and the Servant passages in Isaiah. In these cases the delay in fulfillment spanned many centuries, and yet there was no hesitation in the minds of Christians that Jesus was the perfect fulfillment of all the ancient predictions. Examples of prophecies yet to be fulfilled are numerous. In the OT there are various prophecies relating to Israel which are as yet unfulfilled and others which in quite recent years have seen remarkable fulfillment in the reconstitution of the nation of Israel. In the NT there are many eschatological predictions which await fulfillment at the end of the age. (c) The third class consists of cases of both immediate and delayed fulfillment. It is important to recognize this cla ss since it has occasioned most difficulty in the interpretation of prophetic utterances. A notable illustration is the eschatological discourse in Mark 13 where the predictions of Jesus received a partial fulfillment in the fall of Jerusalem, but will be consummated only at the Parousia. The line of demarcation between the immediate and the future was not clearly defined for the original hearers, but subsequent events have shown the words to possess a double aspect. Sometimes an event which had originally a specific local significance is symbolic of a deeper fulfillment later, as for instance Isaiah 7:14. (d) A fourth class comprises cases of what might be called extended fulfillment. Where a prediction has a fulfillment after a brief interval of time which adequately satisfies the prediction, it may yet receive a further application in a sense different from its original significance. Thus in the NT some OT predictions are applied to the times of Christ, which were not normally considered to be Messianic. The prophecy of the slaughter of the innocents (Matt 2:17, 18) had a different meaning in its original context (Jer 31:15). This process will explain many of the OT citations used in the NT. They had a meaning which was hidden from the people originally addressed, but which was nevertheless a true fulfillment. In these cases the recognition by Christians of the fulfillment of an ancient prediction was regarded as an important feature of God’s dealing with them.

4. Fulfillment in the NT. The early Christians were deeply impressed with the fact that the salvation events centered in Jesus Christ were fulfillments of Scripture. “According to the Scriptures” was a fixed part of the primitive preaching and tradition (cf. 1 Cor 15:3ff.). The gospels contain many instances of events which are said to have happened in fulfillment of OT Testimonia. This is particularly true in Matthew’s gospel, where a group of twelve such testimonies are introduced with some such formula as “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken...” These formulae may at first give the impression that the people concerned with the action were acquainted with the fact that prophecy was being fulfilled, but the citations are for the most part the evangelist’s own commentary on the events. It was in retrospect that the details in the life of Jesus were fulfillments (cf. Matt 12:17ff.). But one of the key factors in the interpretation of fulfilled prophecy was the conviction that all things were planned, working toward a climax. This conviction undoubtedly came from Jesus Himself. When He appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, He said, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). This was the cue for their understanding of the OT.

There is ample evidence that Jesus was conscious of the processes of fulfillment both in His life and His death. When John the Baptist asked whether Jesus was the Coming One, Jesus in reply echoed the words of Isaiah 35:5, 6, and when Judas shared the same dish with him at the supper table Jesus stated that the Son of man goes as it is written of Him (Mark 14:21). At the commencement of the ministry in Luke’s story, Jesus read a passage of Scripture in the synagogue and then declared that Scripture had been fulfilled in their hearing. This consciousness stayed with Him throughout His public ministry. In John’s gospel this idea is most clearly expressed. Jesus was sent to fulfill a divine mission. He was moving toward a specific “hour” which would climax His work. All the evangelists are convinced that the death and resurrection of Jesus occurred in fulfillment of Scripture and this is equally apparent in the speeches in Acts. It is through the Scriptures that Jesus is revealed to be the long promised Messiah.

It is in the Acts and esp. in the epistles that the theological importance of fulfillment is fully brought out. It formed an integral part of the primitive kerygma. Was it developed in the epistles? It is clear from the repeated refrain in 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4, that the Apostle Paul took it from earlier tradition. The frequency with which he cited Scripture shows that it became an integral part of his theological outlook. This may best be illustrated from the most theological of his writings, the Epistle to the Romans. He begins by noting that God had promised the Gospel beforehand in the Scriptures. The Gospel was itself fulfillment. The theme of the whole epistle is founded on an OT quotation, Habakkuk 2:4. The argument of the epistle is frequently buttressed from Scripture (Rom 3). The promise is prominent in Romans 4 and the Adam motive in Romans 5. The discussion in Romans 9-11 is impregnated with the problems of fulfillment and is frequently supported by the appeal to Scripture. Also in the ethical section (Rom 12-15), Scripture is repeatedly quoted under the formula, “It is written” (cf. 14:11; 15:9ff., 21). The closing doxology (Rom 16:25-27) refers to the prophetic writings. What is true of this epistle is true of Paul’s approach generally. The same is true for the other NT epistles. Hebrews may be described as an epistle of fulfillment, as the superiority of the new order over the old is developed. In 1 Peter some of the major ideas of the Book of Exodus have their fulfillment in Christ.

The NT makes clear that the present age will reach its consummation in the fulfillment of the promise of the eschaton (the last time). The return of Christ is predicted (Matt 25:31; Mark 8:38), and the details given show that the event is still future. The eschaton will be a time of judgment (John 12:48), but in the mercy of God judgment is delayed. Although the present period is a time of partial unfulfillment, the end is certain. It will be a time of great glory for the Son of man and for His people. His kingdom will be established and all the promises concerning it will be fulfilled.

Bibliography W. J. Beecher, The Prophets and the Promise (1905); R. V. G. Tasker, The OT in the NT (1947); O. Cullmann, Christ and Time (1950); W. G. Küemmel, Promise and Fulfillment (1961); G. von Rad, OT Theology, II (1965), 319-387.